CS/HB 327 2023
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to fire sprinkler system projects; 2
amending s. 553.7932, F.S.; revising and providing 3
definitions; providing requirements for a simplified 4
permitting process for certain fire sprinkler system 5
projects; amending s. 633.102, F.S.; revising the 6
definition of the term "contractor" as it relates to 7
fire sprinkler systems; providing an effective date. 8
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the St ate of Florida: 10
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Section 1. Section 553.7932, Florida Statutes, is amended 12
to read: 13
553.7932 Simplified permitting processes process for fire 14
alarm system projects .— 15
(1) As used in this section, the term: 16
(a) "Component" means valves, backflow pr eventers, 17
switches, fire sprinklers, escutcheons, hangers, pumps, pump 18
motors and engines, compressors, hydrants, or any other item 19
deemed acceptable by the local enforcing agency. 20
(b)(a) "Contractor" means a person who : 21
1. Is qualified to engage in th e business of electrical or 22
alarm system contracting pursuant to a certificate or 23
registration issued by the department under part II of chapter 24
489; or 25
CS/HB 327 2023
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
2. Is qualified to engage in the business of fire 26
protection system contracting pursuant to a license or 27
certificate issued by the State Fire Marshal . 28
(c)(b) "Fire alarm system project" means a fire alarm 29
system alteration of a total of 20 or fewer initiating devices 30
and notification devices, or the installation or replacement of 31
a fire communicator con nected to an existing fire alarm control 32
panel in an existing commercial, residential, apartment, 33
cooperative, or condominium building. 34
(d) "Fire sprinkler system project" means a fire 35
protection system alteration of a total of 20 or fewer fire 36
sprinklers, or the installation or replacement of a fire 37
sprinkler system component in an existing commercial, 38
residential, apartment, cooperative, or condominium building. 39
For purposes of this paragraph, a component is equivalent if the 40
component has the same or b etter characteristics, including 41
electrical, hydraulic, pressure losses, and required listings 42
and spacing as the component being replaced. 43
(2)(a) A local enforcement agency may require a 44
contractor, as a condition of obtaining a permit for a fire 45
alarm system project or fire sprinkler system project , to submit 46
a completed application and payment. 47
(b) A local enforcement agency may not require a 48
contractor to submit plans or specifications as a condition of 49
obtaining a permit for a fire alarm system pro ject or fire 50
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
sprinkler system project . 51
(3) A local enforcement agency must issue a permit for a 52
fire alarm system project or fire sprinkler system project in 53
person or electronically. 54
(4) A local enforcement agency must require at least one 55
inspection of a fire alarm system project or fire sprinkler 56
system project to ensure compliance with applicable codes and 57
standards. If a fire alarm system project or fire sprinkler 58
system project fails an inspection, the contractor must take 59
corrective action as nec essary to pass inspection. 60
(5)(a) For a fire alarm system project, a contractor must 61
keep a copy of the plans and specifications at the a fire alarm 62
system project worksite and make such plans and specifications 63
available to the inspector at each inspection. 64
(b) For a fire sprinkler system project to alter an 65
existing fire protection system, a contractor must keep a copy 66
of the plans and specifications at the fire sprinkler system 67
project worksite and make such plans and specifications 68
available to the inspector at each inspection. 69
(c) For a fire sprinkler system project to install or 70
replace a component, a contractor must keep a copy of the 71
manufacturer's installation instructions and any pertinent 72
testing instructions needed to certify or accept the component 73
at the fire sprinkler system project worksite and make such 74
documents available to the inspector at each inspection. 75
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
Section 2. Subsection (3) of section 633.102, Florida 76
Statutes, is amended to read: 77
633.102 Definitions. —As used in this chapter, the term: 78
(3)(a) "Contractor I" means a contractor whose business 79
includes the execution of contracts requiring the ability to lay 80
out, fabricate, install, inspect, alter, repair, and service all 81
types of fire protection systems, excluding preengineered 82
systems. 83
(b) "Contractor II" means a contractor whose business is 84
limited to the execution of contracts requiring the ability to 85
lay out, fabricate, install, inspect, alter, repair, and service 86
water sprinkler systems, water spray systems, foam -water 87
sprinkler systems, foam -water spray systems, standpipes, 88
combination standpipes and sprinkler risers, all piping that is 89
an integral part of the system beginning at the point of service 90
as defined in this section, sprinkler tank heaters, air lines, 91
thermal systems used in connection with sprinklers, and tanks 92
and pumps connected thereto, excluding preengineered systems. 93
(c) "Contractor III" means a contractor whose business is 94
limited to the execution of contracts requiring the ability to 95
fabricate, install, inspect, alter, repair, and service carbon 96
dioxide systems, foam extinguishing systems, dry chemical 97
systems, and Halon and other c hemical systems, excluding 98
preengineered systems. 99
(d) "Contractor IV" means a contractor whose business is 100
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limited to the execution of contracts requiring the ability to 101
lay out, fabricate, install, inspect, alter, repair, and service 102
automatic fire sprinkler systems for detached one -family 103
dwellings, detached two -family dwellings, and mobile homes, 104
excluding preengineered systems and excluding single -family 105
homes in cluster units, such as apartments, condominiums, and 106
assisted living facilities or any bu ilding that is connected to 107
other dwellings. A Contractor IV is limited to the scope of 108
practice specified in NFPA 13D. 109
(e) "Contractor V" means a contractor whose business is 110
limited to the execution of contracts requiring the ability to 111
fabricate, install, alter, repair, and service the underground 112
piping for a fire protection system using water as the 113
extinguishing agent beginning at the point of service as defined 114
in this act and ending no more than 1 foot above the finished 115
floor. A Contractor V may inspect underground piping for a 116
water-based fire protection system under the direction of a 117
Contractor I or Contractor II. 118
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This subsection may not be construed to include engineers or 120
architects within the defined terms and does not limit or 121
prohibit a licensed fire protection engineer or architect with 122
fire protection design experience from designing any type of 123
fire protection system. A distinction is made between system 124
design concepts prepared by the design professional and system 125
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
layout as defined in this section and typically prepared by the 126
contractor. However, a person certified under this chapter as a 127
Contractor I or Contractor II may design new fire protection 128
systems of 49 or fewer sprinklers; may design the alteration of 129
an existing fire sprink ler system if the alteration consists of 130
the relocation, addition, or deletion of 49 or fewer sprinklers, 131
notwithstanding the size of the existing fire sprinkler system; 132
and or may design the alteration of an existing fire sprinkler 133
system if the alteratio n consists of the relocation or deletion 134
of 249 or fewer sprinklers and the addition of up to 49 135
sprinklers, as long as the cumulative total number of fire 136
sprinklers being added, relocated, or deleted does not exceed 137
249, notwithstanding the size of the e xisting fire sprinkler 138
system, if there is no change of occupancy of the affected 139
areas, as defined in the Florida Building Code and the Florida 140
Fire Prevention Code, and there is no change in the water demand 141
as defined in NFPA 13, "Standard for the Insta llation of 142
Sprinkler Systems," and if the occupancy hazard classification 143
as defined in NFPA 13 is reduced or remains the same as a result 144
of the alteration. Conflicts between the Florida Building Code 145
and the Florida Fire Prevention Code shall be resolved pursuant 146
to s. 553.73(1)(d). A person certified as a Contractor I, 147
Contractor II, or Contractor IV may design a new fire protection 148
system or design the alteration of an existing fire protection 149
system, the scope of which complies with NFPA 13D, "Standard for 150
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in One - and Two-Family 151
Dwellings and Manufactured Homes," as adopted by the State Fire 152
Marshal, notwithstanding the number of fire sprinklers. 153
Contractor-developed plans may not be required by any local 154
permitting authority to be sealed by a registered professional 155
engineer. 156
Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023. 157